Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

Sustainable manufacturing of transparent conducting oxide (TCO) inks & thin films

Required to carry out research into an EPSRC research project led by University College London and will focus on deposition techniques and their evaluation for novel (Transparent Conducting Oxide) TCO dispersions.

This project seeks to develop processes and resources towards sustainable and inexpensive high quality TCO films (and printed tracks) on float glass, plastics and steel. In particular, replacement materials for Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) and F-doped Tin Oxide (FTO). These materials are used in low-e window coatings (>GBP 5B pa), computers, phones and PV devices. In this project we will develop sustainable up-scaled routes to TCO materials from precursors containing earth abundant elements (titanium, aluminium, zinc) with equivalent or better figures of merit to existing TCOs. Nano-dispersions will be formulated for use in jet, spin coating, dip coating and screen printing, advanced microwave processing and TCO application testing.

A good honours degree in chemical, manufacturing and mechanical engineering, physics, materials or related discipline, experience of materials analysis techniques and working with materials and chemicals and for applicants to be self motivated and willing to travel is essential. Experience of surface analysis or surface modification techniques and of additive processing techniques, e.g. screen printing, inkjet printing etc. is desirable.

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